How to fix the intonation problem on the Squier Bullet Mustang HH
This is a cool little guitar, but it has an intonation problem. This is how to fix it.
Since the Squier Bullet Mustang HH's launch, a ton of people have bought one and continue to do so. Why? Because it's one of the best cheap guitars there is.
This Mustang is a simple hardtail (meaning no whammy bar) with a 24.0" short scale. Kids as well as adults can handle this guitar with no problem at all. It's a very easy playing instrument...
...except it has one problem. Setting proper intonation. Out of the box, it can't do it.
I'll explain what the problem is and the simple ways you can fix it.
What happens on the Bullet Mustang is that you're going to have one or two strings that can't be intonated correctly. Specifically, what occurs is that you will tighten the screws, things will be okay, but then uh-oh, problem. The intonation screw is now poking through the string saddle and actually touching the string, ruining the sound of it.
Naturally, you back off the screw so it doesn't touch the string. But that doesn't solve anything. Now you can't intonate the string.
Fix #1: Shorten the screw by filing it
The screw needs to be shortened so it's not touching the string. The first way to fix this is to physically take the screw out (after taking off the strings, of course) and file down the screw. This can be done with a metal file.
Fix #2: Use washers on the back of the bridge
The Bullet Mustang HH is a top-loader guitar where the strings are installed through the back of the bridge. If filing down an intonation screw is something you're not comfortable doing, the alternative is to simply add washers that the screw goes through before tightening it to the bridge.
Take one of the intonation screws to your local hardware store (e.g. Home Depot, Lowe's, etc.), go to where the washers are sold and find the right size that fits the screw. Buy a dozen washers as it's always good to have extras and they're cheap.
When you get back home, add washers to the intonation screw. You'll have to guess how many you'll need to use. Maybe you'll need just one, maybe three, maybe more.
Once you have them installed, this will back off the intonation screw when you go to adjust it, allowing you to tighten it to the point where you get the correct pitch on an intonation test without that screw touching the string.
Appearance considerations
Do the washers look ugly? I guarantee you that nobody will ever notice it. However, if you're a stickler for a proper uniform look, just add the same amount of washers to every intonation screw. If for example you add 3 washers to one screw, add 3 to all of them. Doing this will make the washers look like they were part of the guitar originally.
Alternatively, you could just go with Fix #1 above and file down the screw instead once you figure out how much you need to shorten the screw based on how many washers you use.
However you go about it, doing either fix will finally allow you to intonate the Bullet Mustang HH properly.
Why does this intonation issue happen with the Bullet Mustang?
It's mainly because of the 24.0" short scale. Were it a 25.5" scale, that extra scale length would eliminate the problem. This is why the Squier Affinity Telecaster (also a top-loader) with its 25.5" scale never has this issue and the Bullet Mustang with its 24.0" scale does.
Telecasters don't have lipstick pickups
This is a nitpick but it must be said.
A common mistake that a lot of people make - including guitar dealers - is the claim that the Telecaster has a "lipstick" pickup on the neck side.
It doesn't.
First I'll explain what a lipstick pickup actually is.
An example of an actual lipstick pickup is the Seymour Duncan SLS-1. It has a tube casing, and this style of pickup is most known for being in Danelectro electric guitars such as the 12SDC model. You look at that guitar and the lipstick pickups are instantly recognizable.
However, what really differentiates the lipstick pickup from what's in the Telecaster is the magnets.
True lipstick pickups such as the SLS-1 use a bar magnet. Were you to rip one apart, that's all you'd find in there. But if you took the cover off the Tele neck pickup, what do you see? Six pole piece magnets. On a lipstick pickup, it's just the bar. On the Tele neck pickup, pole pieces are present.
So what is the proper name for a Telecaster neck side pickup? It's a mini single-coil. Most refer to this as just a "Tele neck pickup", but guitar model name aside, mini single-coil is the proper name for it.
If for example you look at the Seymour Duncan Antiquity "1955" Tele pickup, there are literal pole pieces under that cover. Again, not a lipstick. It's a mini single-coil with six actual pole piece magnets.
On fully assembled Telecasters whether it's the Fender American Elite Telecaster, Fender American Original '60s Telecaster or the modern Fender American Professional Telecaster, they all use a mini single-coil pickup for the neck position. In fact, any time you see that little pickup, it's a mini single-coil.
Stop calling it a lipstick pickup.
Halloween guitars
Orange you glad to see these?
Yeah, I know. Bad joke. But October is an excuse to show some electric guitars in orange. This is a color you don't see too often.
Fender Player Telecaster in Capri Orange
Fender started releasing guitars in this finish fairly recently, and it works well with Fender curvy body shapes.
Squier Affinity Telecaster in Competition Orange
Same as Capri Orange? No. This one has a slightly "louder" hue to it. Looks cool, and it's cheap to buy.
Jackson Soloist SLX in Orange Crackle
Now we have something that definitely fits the Halloween vibe. Jackson actually did do this right as it covers the entire guitar. The front, back, sides and even the back of the neck all the way up to the headstock have the crackle finish applied.
It should also be noted a Green Crackle version exists too. Same as the Orange Crackle, but obviously in green.
Now we class up the place with a nice semihollow. This guitar is all sorts of pretty. You never knew orange could look this classy.
Lastly, a guitar that looks like it's on fire. The color is Transparent Amber, but obviously you see lots of orange here.
This is not an LTD. This is an actual ESP. Top-of-the-line stuff, complete with case and case candy. If you want absolute premium with your orange electric, well, there you are.
It looks like Gibson DOES make a double-neck guitar
It would appear I have to make a correction.
I literally just said Gibson isn't making a double-neck guitar at the moment. Well, I was wrong. I check out the latest guitars available and whammo, there it is, a Gibson Custom Slash Double Neck SG.
Well... what to say about this.
Let's start with the finish. "Aged" Ebony, which is Gibson's version of relic'ing.
The front of the guitar looks great. The back? Not-so much. There's a big spot where belt buckle rash would be were the instrument actually played regularly. That's part of the "aging" Gibson did. I'll say a little more about this in a moment.
Both fretboards are real rosewood, so that's cool.
Pickups are "Gibson CustomBuckers". I have no idea what kind of pickups those are other than the fact they're humbuckers and look PAF-like.
Aside from that, it's pretty much a double SG.
Yes, the price tag is insane for this guitar, but that's because each one of these is personally signed by Slash himself...
...but I hope he signs each one using a white or silver marker. The guitar is black, after all.
Does it come with the hard case? Yes. Does it come with a strap too? Yes, a special "Slash concho" strap. Certificate of Authenticity? Of course. Nitro finished? Again, yes.
Like the Epiphone double-neck I mentioned before, this is the right way to do a double-neck guitar with one 6-string neck and the other a 12. Again I will say that is the most useful setup for one of these.
As nuts as this sounds, I think the aging was done right on this guitar. And the reason I feel that way is that Gibson didn't go too crazy with it. It has body wear in the expected place it would be, and the yellowed plastics are correct. The fret inlays also appear to have correct aging done as well.
Obviously, this guitar is a special run and only those with deep pockets will buy them. That's fine because double-neck guitars shouldn't be regular run anyway...
...but I still think the Epiphone is the better double-neck buy.
However, there are many who even think the double neck Epiphone is too expensive. Fortunately, cheap double neck guitars are available.
Ernie Ball Cobalt strings are too bright?
These sound a bit shrill for my guitar and playing style.
Firstly, I will say right up front that Ernie Ball Cobalt is a very good string. I'm not saying it's bad. Not at all. These things feel great, bend easy and hold tune great.
As you'll hear in the video above however, they're just a touch on the too-bright side. Or at least that's what my ears hear.
Most people would opt to use the 10-46 "2721" set. I use the 8-38 "2725" set.
My experience with no-nickel strings
The main reason I tried these out is because there's no nickel content in EB Cobalts from what I understand. This was interesting to me and I wanted to experience these for myself.
What you're hearing in the video are the strings after being on my guitar for about 5 days and several hours of play in that span of time. This means they're stretched properly and broken in by this point.
Obviously, they work. All notes and chords ring true, but I notice the string seems to sound best on the middle and neck positions. On the bridge position I hear too much "honk" because the sound from the strings is so bright.
Would the Cobalts "mellow out" after more play? My guess is they would not. Strings are at their brightest on a fresh install, and after several hours of play and being on the guitar for 5 days, they should have mellowed at least a little, but they haven't.
For some guitarists, this is exactly what they want. They want a string that installs bright and stays that way for as long as possible.
I, on the other hand, prefer a string that loses some of its brightness after some play.
Part of the whole selling point of the Cobalts is the fact they stay bright. I get that. But I think this string is better suited for dudes that play rock and metal. They would especially be good for humbuckers that sound a bit "muddy", as these will add in some treble you otherwise didn't have before.